Multi-layered coated cutting tools demonstrate excellent metalcutting properties in certain circumstances. Typically, a multi-layered coated cutting tool comprises a substrate with a plurality of coating layers deposited thereon. In some cases the coating layers comprise a plurality of sets of alternating coating layers. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,357 to Selinder et al. for a MULTILAYERED COATED CUTTING TOOL shows a multi-layered non-repetitive coating scheme in which the layers have a thickness that ranges between 0.1 to 30 nanometers. PCT Patent Application WO98/44163 to Sjöstrand et al. for a MULTILAYERED COATED CUTTING TOOL shows a multi-layered repetitive coating scheme in which each repeat period has a thickness that ranges between 3 and 100 nanometers.
Other exemplary coating schemes comprise multi-layered titanium nitride/titanium aluminum nitride coatings deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques. Such coating schemes are described in Hsieh et al., “Deposition and Characterization of TiAlN and multi-layered TiN/TiAlN coatings using unbalanced magnetron sputtering”, Surface and Coatings Technology 108-109 (1998) pages 132-137 and Andersen et al., “Deposition, microstructure and mechanical and tribological properties of magnetron sputtered TiN/TiAlN multilayers”, Surface and Coatings Technology 123 (2000) pages 219-226.
Even though multi-layered titanium nitride/titanium aluminum nitride coating schemes exist, for a coating to be effective it must possess a certain minimum adhesion to the substrate and it must exhibit a certain minimum hardness. It has always been, and still remains, a goal to improve the adhesion of the coating to the substrate of the coated cutting tool. In addition, it has always been, and still remains, a goal to optimize the hardness of the coated cutting tool. It has always been, and still remains, a goal to improve and optimize the combination of the properties of adhesion and hardness for a coated cutting tool.
It would thus be desirable to provide a coated cutting tool (e.g., a nanolayered coated cutting tool), as well as a method for making the coated cutting tool, wherein the cutting tool possesses improved adhesion and optimized hardness, as well as an improvement in the combination of the adhesion and hardness.
It would also be desirable to provide a metal nitride/metal aluminum nitride coated cutting tool (e.g., a nanolayered titanium nitride/titanium aluminum nitride coated cutting tool), as well as a method for making the coated cutting tool, wherein the cutting tool possesses improved adhesion and optimized hardness, as well as an improvement in the combination of the adhesion and hardness.
It would also be desirable to provide a metal aluminum nitride/metal aluminum carbonitride coated cutting tool (e.g., a nanolayered titanium aluminum nitride/titanium aluminum carbonitride coated cutting tool), as well as a method for making the coated cutting tool, wherein the cutting tool possesses improved adhesion and optimized hardness, as well as an improvement in the combination of the adhesion and hardness.
It would also be desirable to provide a metal nitride/metal aluminum nitride/metal aluminum carbonitride coated cutting tool (e.g., a nanolayered titanium nitride/titanium aluminum nitride/metal aluminum carbonitride coated cutting tool), as well as a method for making the coated cutting tool, wherein the cutting tool possesses improved adhesion and optimized hardness, as well as an improvement in the combination of the adhesion and hardness.